Holder for subcutaneous administration of medicaments



July 17, 1951 H. c. PRISK 2,561,071

HOLDER FOR SUBCUTANEOUS ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICAMENTS Filed Sept. 21, 1949 I 3mm 15! Pris/6 (Etern y Patented July 17, 1951 HOLDER FOR SUBCUTANEOUS ADMINIS- TRATION OF MEDICAMENTS Howard Conley Prisk, Westerville, Ohio Application September 21, 1949, Serial No. 116,963

3 Claims. 1

This invention is concerned with an improved device for holding and applying liquid pharmaceutical or biological compounds in direct contact with the surface of the skin for subcutaneous absorption into the human system.

It is common medical practice to introduce intravenously various preparations or medicaments, such as insulin, hormones, penicillin and.

many other preparations, including steroidal hormones, anti-biotics and the like, into the human system. Usually this operation requires the services of a physician, a graduate nurse or other similarly skilled technician, although self-administration is feasible and often practiced, as in the case of patients affected with diabetes. The use of hypodermic syringes in effecting such injections is disagreeable to many patients, even when handled by a skilled operator. The other alternative is the oral administration of preparations admitting of introduction into the alimentary tract. This method, however, is not altogeher satisfactory, in that certain preparations are destroyed, or their value substantially diminished, during passage through the alimentary tract. Also, this method is objectionable to many physicians in that dependence must be placed on the patient to self-administer medicines in the required quantities at definite intervals of time.

In accordance with the present invention, a

medicament in liquid form is contained in a carrier device which through adhesive means is placed on the body with the liquid medicament contained therein in direct contact with the outer surface of the skin, the body of the carrier being sufficiently flexible to conform with the movements of the human body or that region of the latter to which the carrier is applied, the carrier further including a flexible cap which collapses under atmospheric pressure as the medicament is absorbed or otherwise penetrates into the systerm.

I am aware that many patents have been granted on devices employed as surgical dressings or adhesive bandages, or in applying various medicaments to locally affected area such as wounds, cuts, burns, lacerations, etc. My present device is not concerned with the treatment of such localized afliictions, but is intended for introducing liquid pharmaceutical preparations into the blood stream through the skin. In other words, the device of the present invention acts as an instrument in a way comparable with that of the hyprodermic syringe, the difference being that whereas the hypodermic syringe pierces the skin and deposits a liquid directly into the body cavity, my device permits the liquid to enter said cavity slowly by absorption or direct penetration. In this way, a slow measured introduction of the medicament takes place with my improved device, which enables the human system to absorb and utilize the medicament at all times in proper quantities, instead of applying, as in the case of a hypodermic syringe, an over dosage at one injection and allowing the injection to diminish as the body functions. My device is also an improvement over administering medicines by the mouth, as its avoids deterioration and loss of the beneficial constituents of such medicines as a result of their attack by gastric juices and other bodily processes.

For a further understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken through a medicine administering and holding device formed in accordance with the present invention; the device being shown in its complete form for holding in a sealed state therein biological or pharmaceutical solutions;

Fig. 2 is a similar view disclosing the device as it appears when applied to the surface of the skin;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the device.

Referring to the drawings, my improved medicine holding and administering device comprises a capsule 0, formed to provide a base ring 5, which may be composed of a fabric such as crinoline or other fibrous material, woven or matted, to possess stifiness but with a sufiicient degree of flexibility so that it will conform to the movements of that part of the body to which it is applied. The under surface, at least, of the ring 5 is coated with a pressure-sensitive adhesive, such as a rubber-base adhesive, by which the capsule is maintained in an applied position on the outer surface of the skin, and also to separably secure thereto a removable sealing strip 6, the latter being separated from the ring 5 immediately before the capsule device is applied to the skin.

Mounted on the ring 5 is the peripheral edge 1 of a cap 8. This cap is formed preferably from a flexible liquid-resisting material, for example, a sheet of regenerated cellulose such as cellophane, or one of the chlorinated rubbers known commercially as Pliofilm or tensolite. The cap 8 in association with the ring 5 and the sealing strip 6 provides a cavity within the capsule adapted for the reception of a medicament 9 in liquid form, the specific composition or uses of which being unimportant insofar as the present invention is concerned, except their ability to penetrate the human skin.

In the use of my improved capsule device, the base strip 6 is removed at the time of its application, so that the adhesive-bearing surfaces of the ring may be applied directly to the skin, as shown in Fig. 2. In this way, the liquid body 9 comes into direct contact with the skin so that it may be absorbedrintothe system; As the liquid body is absorbed, the cap 8 responds to atmospheric pressure and collapses, maintaining at all times close contact with the body of liquid vacua or sub-atmospheric pressures.

Thus with the use of the caps le,forming.the.

present invention, the rate of introduction of a and A precluding the formation within the capsule of' of the user of the device and a physician is assured that a patient is receiving a given medicament in" proper quantities. The. device -;eliminates the-necessity for cleaning and sterilizing hypodermic needles and overcomes one-of the difii'culitiesor'particular objectionsso frequently encountered in the self -administering of various medical compounds. 1 I

The medicament contained in the cap portion ofthe -applicator is preferably admixed. or dissolved in a compound such-as propylene glycol,

ethylene glycol, alcohol or a saline solution. Alsov there may be maintained in the solution-an electrolyte or catalyst which renders. the. region. or

skinuor membrane towhich the device is applied morereadilyprmeable-to the passage 'of the liq-. uid medicaments through dilation. ofs-dermal pas-- sages. Such anelectrolyte or catalyst may consist of" dilute hydrochloric acid in various: con.- centrations:- Other compoundssuitable for effecting such .dialysiss may include magnesium sulphate or sodium. chloride; Preferably, the, accompanying' article or container of the present inventionisapplied to a. thin part of the human skin, as in regions adjacent to body joints, as the shoulder, elbow or thelikep Various changes may be; made in my device without departing from the: spirit; and scope of.

the invention as the same has been defined in the the; upper surface of'said base member to overliethe'openin'g therein, said cap providing a cavity for the reception of a medicament, an adhesive applied to the under surface of said-base'member, and a removablesealing strip normally attached tothe-base member-by said adhesive and confining; said medicament within-the cavity of said 4 cap, said strip being removable from its sealing association with said base member to open the bottom of said cavity and the opening in said base member, whereby to enable the medicament contained within the cap to contact directly a selected region of the skin around which the device is positioned, the flexibility of the cap being such as to enable the same to flex inwardly to maintain closecontact thereof with the medicament as the volume of the latter progressively decreases in said cavity through absorption in the skin tissue.

2. Medicament holding and applying means comprising: a casing embodying a base and a fiexiblewalled cap, the latter forming a cavity for the reception of a medicament, and a removable sealing strip: normally. attached to the base, said strip beingremovable from its sealing association with said base to open the bottom of said cavity, thereby enabling the medicament contained within the cap to contact'directly a sealing region of the-skin around which the device is positioned;

the fiexibility of-the c'ap'bein'g such as to enable the walls thereof to flex: inwardly and: maintain.

close contact with the medicament as the supply.

humannbody for subdermali absorption comprise;

ing: :a base strip havingan under sidecoated with an adhesive, said stripubeingv formed intermedi. atelyL- thereof with i an opening; .a flexible walled.

cap .securedtonthe uppermsurfacepofi said basestrip toioverlie the-opening therein, said cap pro.- viding acavity forthe reception of-the medicarment, and a removable (sealing strip normally atrta-ched toxthe base member by: said adhesiveand, confining said medicamentwithin said cap, said strip being removable from; its adhesive: ass0cia--; ti0n;;with-. said'base-strip' to enable the medicament'containedwithinthecap to contact directly a selected region, of? the .skin, around which the deviceis positioned, theflexibility ofthematerial forming .thecap being such; 'asto enablesame toflex? inwardly 'tor maintainclosepressure contact with the-,medicament as; the volume ofthe latter progressively decreases in said- 'ca vity through absorptionin the skin tissue. and upon the presence; of anyatmospheric pressure differential on the inner and outer surfaces of the cavity.

HOWARD-CONLEY PRISK.

REFERENCES. CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name- Date 720,812 Johnson Feb. 17, 1903; 2,443,140

Larsen June 8, 1943- 

